Greg Percifield

Dueling Pianist

Hello. My name is Greg Percifield. Welcome to my website! You’re certainly welcome here, although I have to say that I’ve really built the site just for myself. It’s a place for me to stay focused by organizing my thoughts, schedule, and goals.

I’ve found having a blog helps me to stay on track, stay motivated, and stay productive. Hopefully, you’ll find something here that interests you. If you do, please be sure to leave a comment. I love talking with other people about similar interests!

Who am I? In a nutshell, I’m a nut who enjoys music. I study piano and voice every day. I am a dueling pianist. I enjoy my friends and family. Sometimes there is alcohol involved, but I tend to regret that the next morning.

But I did say ‘in a nutshell.’ You’ll find more articles about singing, playing piano, and other things that interest me, throughout the site. And if you’d like to know a bit more about me. Here is an extended bio.

When I first moved to Japan, I joined an art class. I only stayed for 1 class before it became unbearable for me. At the time, I was only 22 years old. There were about 10 other people in the class. They were elderly Japanese women. The art teacher was an elderly...

The other day, I came across a friend's Facebook post, in which he was arguing with someone about the courage of Caitlyn Jenner. What is courage? Was coming out courageous? There was strong opposition to the idea that it was a courageous act. One person even said,...

Playing the Intro of Only The Good Die Young, might sound a lot harder than it really is. But if you break it down, it's a piece of cake! To play this song you should know four triad chords: F Major - F, A, C G Major - G, B, D A Minor - A,...

Cults often target the weak. And I was at a very vulnerable point in my life. I practically ran away to Japan in 1995 (where I stayed for 10 years) to escape a turbulent past that I had not yet come to terms with. Little did I know, I was walking directly into more...

When I tell stories about my time in Japan, this one often comes to mind. I've told the story so many times, that I figured it's about time to blog it. During my last year in Japan, I was working at a gaijin bar called "Canopy" - a bar that was friendly to...

The Billboard awards were presented recently, and Kanye made headlines for all the "boos" he received during his intro and performance. Of course, the performance itself was almost impossible to hear, because it was censored every few seconds. Luckily for viewers, it...

I don't like living in the past, but I find myself revisiting it quite often; not always by choice. Recently I was cleaning up some web profile data, and I came across a Google Analytics report from a business I used to own. Eventually, I completely scraped it. I...

I wish it could be bottled up and taken when needed. I'm talking pure, natural motivation, at its very best. It comes and goes for me, at various levels. There have been a few times in my life where it stayed with me, unrelentlessly, for weeks and months. I would...

I first heard about Digit, through a technology news article that I had read. It was announced as the latest and greatest app that would help you save money. I love "latest and greatest apps" and I need help saving money, so I jumped to their website to check it out...

Alright... aside from music, I like to program a bit. Although for the most part, I have walked away from IT related work. This is a super short project that I've noticed a lot of people have been trying to figure out how to do. I've seen a lot of difficult...

Wow! I confess it has been longer than a week or two. Opening up my ear has been a real struggle. If you haven't read Part I yet, you might want to start here. Hearing the distinct sound in a note takes a lot of practice. But that is what I have been working on...

This is going to be the first of a series of blog posts that I write. If you are reading this, you probably share my curiosity, or perhaps even my obsession on developing an ear that is so receptive that it can pick out the notes from a squeaky door. Why would you...

I play a lot of great cover songs, but they do not always translate into a great cover song performance. Among my duo and trio band, I also play as a dueling pianist. Quite often we rush through music to ensure that everyone's request is played, and even though that...

Let me begin by saying that I am not a self-proclaimed expert at what steps are needed to pack a club. However, I have found my own method of success. I'm sure there are many other things that can be done. Without a doubt, the most important thing to do is to simply...

I think the general perception of musicians is that we are lazy and poor, but entertaining. I can't speak for everyone, but I can say that the musicians I work with are incredibly hard workers. Music is not their only job, but it certainly could be. Believe it or not,...

I have quite a lot of video on the web of myself singing and playing at different events or even at home. I did not post any on this site though, because I have been wanting to put together a professional video. Now I have another reason to be glad I have waited. I...

If you don't know who Bear Grylls is, he is most known for his role in a "semi-reality" show, which teaches people how to survive in extreme conditions. Grylls joined the Territorial Army and served part-time with the Artists Rifles 21 Regiment. He has a wealth...